Rail joint



Nov. 8, 1932. K. NAsT 1,337,653

RAIL JOINT Filed Jem.v 28, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet l Hm iM n U" ii -2z venian NOV. 8,1932. K, NAST 1,887,063

' RAIL JOINT Filed Jan. 28, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 yugffm u Nov. 8, 1932. K. NAsT RAIL JOIN'l1 Filed Jan. 28V, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 f M #a y l N M v Z \\\m m .Q @NI E xNv Dill; V Y O .www 4 il Url, 1| "i N Nov. 8, 1932. K NAST 1,887,063

RAIL JOINT Filed Jan. 28, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 v /i I f s y @am Patented Nov. 8, 1932 UNITED STATES KARL NAST, 0F STUTTGART, GERMANY RAIL JOINT Application led January 28, 1932, Serial No. 589,341, and in Germany .Tuly 8, 1931.

My invention relates to rail joints and more particularly to means for filling in the gap at the joint. It is an object of my invention to fill in the gap in such manne-r that shocks are avoided.

T o this end I provide filling plates for the gap end meansfor varying the number of plates in the gap in conformity With its Width. The filling plates may for instance be partly housed in the gap and partly in arecess of one rail and the means for varying the number of plates inthe gap may be connected to the other rail. I may provide a partly horizontal and partly inclined race in the recess along which the plates are moved bythe means connected to the other rail.

By these means the gap is kept filled and variations in the size of the gap are automatically made up for by plates being fed into the gap or returned into the recess, according to temperature conditions.

Gaps at the rail joints are inevitable in order to make up for the heat expansion of the rails but are most undesirable not only because the shocks are unpleasant to the passengers but also because they bring about considerable Wear of the rails and the rolling stock. It has frequently been attempted to fill in or to bridge the gaps, for instance, by lateral impact or easing rails, but these eX- pedients have failed because they are Without means for providing for the variations in the size of the gap and for effecting a complete and unbroken gap filler. Y

The drawbacks of the means which have already been suggested, are eliminated according to my invention, as under the influence of the means connected to one of the rails the filling plates in the recess of the other rail are moved into and out of the gap as required by the variations in the size of the gap, and there will never be any clearance at the gap.

The friction between the filling plates must not be excessive because it must not interfere With the free relative displacement of the plates as they move intoand out of the gap. Preferably the faces of the plates are ground or polished soas to present a minimum` of friction and in order to facilitate the sliding movement of the -plates in the recess their upper and lower edges are preferably rounded. z On the other hand, strength is an important item as the plates Vhave to stand the load of the Wheels, and therefore they are preferably made .of high-class steel. When the plates are under the load of a wheel they are'pressed together so tightly that relative displacement is prevented and the plates form a solid unit with the rails which stands all stresses.

A particular advantage of my novel joint is thatin view of the complete filling of the ga 3s at the joints the gaps may be very large and therefore it is possible to Weld several lengths of rails into a section, With gaps only at the ends of the Welded section. Thus, rails may be Welded together to a length eX- ceeding half a mile, and provided With gaps and fillers according to my invention only at both ends of the section. By these means the number of gaps per unit of length is reduced to a minimum. y

In the drawings aflixed to this specification and forming part thereof, various rail joints embodying my invention are illustrated diagrammatically by Way of example.

In the drawings l Fig. l is a partly sectional elevation,

Fig. 2 is a complete elevation,

Fig. 3 is a section on the line III-III of Fig. 2,

Fig. l is a section. on the line IL-IV in Fig. 2, of a rail joint in which the races for the filling plates are constituted by a recess in one of the rails,

Fig. 5 is a perspective illustration yof a joint in which the races are constituted by a combined race block and fish plate in the recess of the rail,

Fig. 6 is a plan view of Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 is an elevation of the recessed rail j end in which the race block is fitted,

Fig. 8 is a perspective illustration of the race block,

Fig. 9 is an elevation of one of the filling plates,

Fig. l0 is a perspective illustration of a fitting for bridging a portion of the gap,

Fig. ll is a perspective illustration of the Cil block by which the filling plates are controlled, and a portion of the race block,

Fig, 12 is an elevation -of a joint having means for exerting extra pressure on the plate-control block,

Fig. 13 is a plan view of a skew joint according to my invention,

Fig. 14 is a section on the line XIV-XIV in Fig. 13,

Fig. 15 is a perspective illustration of a filling plate,

Fig. 16 is a perspective illustration of the plate-control block and a portion of the bearing block, A

Fig. 17 is a perspective illustration of a fitting, all for the skew joint, and

Fig. 18 is a diagram showing a portion of a track equipped with my novel oint.

Referring now to the drawings, and first to Figs. 1 to l, I and II are the rails at opposite sides of a gap to be filled in with filling plates a, is a recess or slot in the end of rail II, with an inclined race b2 at the bottom, a face br at the top which extends in parallel to the race b2 and intersects the tread of the rail head at some distance from the end of the rail, and a horizontal race g2 which adjoins the race b2 at a point vertically below the shortened rail head. The end of rail I is squared and does not require machining. The plates a which are preferably rounded at their upper end and lower edges to facilitate their sliding on the races b2 and g2, are partly in the recess on the inclined race b2, and partly on the horizontal race. o is a fitting extending from the foremost plate a to the end of the other rail I which is cut square, so that the fitting 'v partly bridges the gap and, together with the plates a, fills in the gap which extends from the squared end of the rail I to the end of the rail head II at its intersection with the face La of the recess. The fitting has lugs v1, @2 for welding it to the rail I, as shown for a modified l tt-ing in Fig. 10. c is a control block for the plates a which slides in the recess Y) and bears on the innermost plate a. el, e2 are links which are pivoted to the rail I at 0pposite sides of its web by pins j", bear on :fish plates e, Fig. 2, and engage in slots c3 in opposite faces of the control block c with, preferably dovetailed, lugs es. This, or some other kind of yielding connection, is required as the links, being restrained by the iish plates e', cannot roch as the block c moves on race g2. p.

The arrows in Fig. 1 indicate the contraction of the rails in cold weather by which the gap becomes wider. rI`he end of the rail I moves to the left and the end of the rail Il moves to the right. The control block o moves to the left with the rail I to which it is connected at f, rises on the inclined race Z22 and moves more plates onto the horizontal race g2 and into the gap. In

hot weather the ends of the rails move in opposite direction to the arrows in Fig. 1 and 'the gap becomes narrower. The contr-ol block c recedes on the race b2 and plat-es a are forced onto the inclined race 52 from the horizontal race g2.

In view of the normal section of the rails, with their comparatively thin webs, `he area presented to the plates a in the region of the web is very small at their faces as well as at their lower This in unfavorable under all conditions because it increases the pressure per unit of area` at the faces and the edges of the plates, and particular is undesirable to support the lower edges ef the plates, with the heavy load of the wheels bearing on them, only by the narr w s l afforded by the In order to ennr inate this drawback I provide means for presenting larger areas to the faces and lower edges of the plates. Such means may be the fish plates .e at both sides of the web which are secured only to the rail II by screws .el or any other suitable means, and on which the lling plates o: bear so hat the added areas ofthe web section and the two fish plates are available for bearing the load cn by the fillings a. The flash plates e shaped in conformity with the races (Z1 and d2 of the recess In order to present an area equal to the faces of the filling plate a, the fitting e is made as wide as the rail head throughout its depth, Fig. 4.

A more elaborate joint i Figs. 5 to 11. Referring first t upper portion 1 of the recess II is arranged as described but race is out away with the exception tratcd in r i in L g. 7, the the rail lower of a short 'land b1. The remaining portion of the web is cut away in parallel to the base and forms a ridge g1 with holes 3 therein. The .fish plates e are replaced by projections nl, a: at both sides of a race block a, Fig. 8, of channel section, which is placed on the ridge g1 with it central recessed portion. The inner end of the race block is inclined at b2 and its outer end is horizontal at g2, similarly to the races in the recess n3 are three holes in the sides of the race block n which are aligned Ywith the holes b3 in the ridge g1 for the reception of the bolts el, Fig. 2. The holes a3 are elongated so that the race block n may be adjusted on the ridge g1 if required by repair or fitting operations. The upper end of the inclined race g2 is again vertically below the point where the rail head intersects with face Obviously the inclination or' the races b2 and the face b4. at the rail head which is parallel to the race b2, may be varied but will not be influenced by considerations regarding the inevitable weakening to which the end of the rail II is subjected by the recess b because the pointed upper end of the rail head is supported throughout by the filling plates and the control block c. In view of its function as a supporting member for the undercut rail head, the control block c should be made long. The sides of the bearing block n are dovetailed at ai, and nf, are sectioned strips which are inserted in the dovetails at both ,sides of the horizontal `race g2. The filling plates a, Fig. 9, and the fitting o, Fig. 10, are dovetailed in conformity with the dovetail n4. The fitting has the lugs ful, v2 for engaging below the rail head but is not welded to the rail I, and its sides are equipped with lugs 07. The plates have lugs al and a2 at their bases, which at their inner faces are shaped in conformity with the dovetail n4 and the strips m5, the upper portion of the dove-tails in the plates being vertical as shown at a3 in Fig. 9 and only the lower port-ions being inclined as shown at a4. The jibs a5 which are detachable, being held by screws orthe like, permit insertion of the fitting e and the plates a from above by extracting the strips longitudinally so that the fitting and the plates are readily exchangeable.

The detachable fitting Q; should be so designed that it can be extracted even if the width of the gap is at its minimum. n To this end the fitting is divided as shown in Fig. l0 and equipped with an extension v3 which is shouldered at e4 to fit in notches of the fitting e. rIhe thickness of the extension @3 is so determined that after a few plates a have been removed, it can slide on the horizontal race g2 until its shoulders v4 are free of the fitting n. The strips n are extracted and the fitting e, with the extension Q13, is lifted out of the gap. Obviously the thickness of the extension v3 should at least be equal to the length of the lugs v1, 'v2 so that the head of rail I will not interfere with the upward extraction of tting fv.

Preferably, detachable lugs o, o are provided at opposite sides of the rail bases at the rails I, II for holding the race block n, in position.

The plate-control block c, Fig. 11, is equipped with dovetailed lugs c1 at both sides forengaging in the dovetails m of the race block n., and is recessed for the reception of the web of rail II, its side plates c2 bearing on opposite sides of the web. This makes up for the weakening of the rail II by the recess Zi as the side plates c2 support the rail head which is undercut by face tu., even if the gap is very large. u is a. block at one side of the rail II which is provided for a purpose to be described, and g/ is a wedge inserted between the upper face of the block fa and the lower face of the rail head, with its wedge face bearing on the corresponding side plate c2 of the control block 0, so as to reinforce the rail head and to assist in the guiding and supporting Vof the control block c. 'The wedge g/ shown) in the block,

In order to hold the faces of the filling plates a engaged still more tightly under the lead of a wheel, supplementary compression means such as illustrated in Fig. l2 may be provided by which a portion of the load on the wheel is translated into a horizontal force acting on the control block c. A single pin exten ds through the web of the rail I. At the side of the rail where the compression means is arranged (this depends on whether the tread or the lia-nge of the tire operates the compression means)an arm g is secured on the pin f. x are eccentrics on both ends of the pin f (only one of which is shown in Fig. i.

l2) and the links el, e2 are mounted on the eocentrics. The link e2 is extended beyond the lug c3 with which it enga-ges in the slot c3 of the block e, and is pivotally connected to an arm s at its free end which extends in parallel to the arm g of the pin f. 1' is a rod connecting the free ends of the arms g' and ,.s'. The portion of the parallelogram which extends beyond the lug e3 is supported by the block u. Pivoted to the connection of 7' and e;

s is an arm t which is inclined to the rails at the same angle as the arms g and s but extends in opposite direction, with its free end bearing on the block u. This arm tV is provided for cooperation with wheels moving from the right to the left in Fig. 10, while the arm g is acted on by wheels moving from the leftk to the right. Obviously, in a track which is negotiated in one direction onl the arm t is dispensed with. Instead of being free to slide on the upper face of the block u, the arm t may be inserted in a slot (not or a slotted guide above the block.

The parallelogram illustrated in Fig. 12 is adapted to be operated by the flanges of the tires and its top rod 1 is held in a given position with respect to the tread of the rail head, as determined by the width of the gap. When a wheel arrives from the left on rail I it forces down the arm g and rotates the pin f. The eccentrics .fr on the pin f pull the block c toward th-e plates a through the medium of links e1L and e2 so that in addition to the compression under the load of the wheel, the plates are held closely packed at their faces by the additional pressure acting on the control block c and will not be bulged or otherwise deformed.

"i The parallelogram has been shown considerably shortened for the sake of convenient illustration, but in fact it must be so long that its top rod r remains depressed while a train runs across the gap. rIhis condition is fulfilled if the rod r is somewhat longer than the maximum distance of two wheels in the train.

In the butt joints which have been illustrated the load, assuming that the wheel arrives from the left, acts successively on the rail I, the fitting e, the plates a and the rail II. In order to provide a more gradual application of the load the skew joint illustrated in Figs. 13 to 17 may be provided. Only slight alterations in the described members are required for the skew point. VI'hus, the links el and e2 must obviously have different lengths.

Fig. 14 shows a somewhat modified litt-ing o. The fitting, in addition to the lower lugs v7 on which the links el, e.p are supported, is

equipped with an upper lug o5 so that the links el, e2 are held in a groove. If the compression means according to Fig. 10 are provided, the links must have a corresponding .play in their grooves but are restrained in upward direction by the lugs 05. Obviously the provision of such grooves is not limited to fittings for the skew joint.

Fig. 17 is a perspective illustration of the iitting o as shown in Fig. 14. rllhis fitting is equipped with a tread UG which is flat at one end and arched at the other so that by this fitting rails having flat and arched heads may be connected.

In the skew joint there is a certain difficulty about the dovetails ai at the lugs of the filling plates a for the plates are machined with squared edges which on account of the inclination of the plates to the rail, make line contact only at the dovetails and at the strips 'a5 of the race block n. In order to eliminate this diihculty, curved, for instance, semicircular, recesses a5 are formed in the plates, and ribs a6 of corresponding section are formed on the race block n as shown in Fig. 14. rhe provision of the ribs as facilitates the sliding of the plates on the races. Obviously such ribs .iight also be provided as supplemental guiding means in butt joints although in butt joints they are not as im portant as in skew joints.

The joint illustrated in Fig. 13 is a bridge joint, with a supporting plate d. Supporting plates l are preferably provided under all conditions, not only for the bridge joint illustrated in Fig. 12, and not only for skew joints, in order to eliminate all tendency to relative displacement of the rails, and the shearing stresses resulting therefrom.

Referring now to Fig. 18, therail section I may be built up from a considerable number of individual rails welded together, and, as mentioned, may be more than half a mile long. It is fixed only at its centreat B1 so that its ends are free to expand. Short rail sections are inserted between the long sections I. In the present instance, it .has been assumed that the short sections are welded from two rails II of normal length, and fined at the centre B2. w are the joints between the long and short sections which are filled in with plates a as described.

Fig. 18 shows four joints w for the connection of three long, and two short sections. It will be understood that bythe arrangement illustrated the number of gaps and consequently the number of means for filling the gaps, is reduced to a minimum. Another advantage is that repair and other operation are much facilitated for it is only necessary in such cases to detach the short sections II-II at B2. However, it is also possible to provide exclusively long sections of rails welded together in combination with a single gaphlling device according to my invention between each two sections instead of the shortI sections II, II and the two gaps fw, 'w which each requires.

`When the joints are assembled all members in frictional contact should be amply lubricated, including the plates a. rlhe plates, as 1mentioned, are preferably made of high class steel with faces ground to a fine polish. By lubricating the plates the friction is further reduced and striking by adhesion at the polished faces is prevented.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

In the claims affixed to this specification no selection of any particular modification of the invention is intended to the exclusion of other modifications thereof and the right to subsequently make claim to any 1nodification not covered by these claims is expressly reserved.

I claim:

1. A rail joint comprising filling plates for the gap, and means for varying the number of plates in the gap in conformity with its width.

2. A rail joint comprising filling plates for the gap which are partly housed in the gap and partly in a recess of one rail, and means connected to the other rail for varying the number of plates in the gap in conformity with its width.

A rail joint comprising` filling plates for the gap which are partly housed in the gap and partly in a recess of one rail, an inclined race in said recess, horizontal race extending into said gap, and means connected to the other rail for varying in conforlnity with the width of the the number of plates which are on the horizontal race.

4. A rail joint comprising filling plates lie for the gap, means for varying the number of plates in the gap in conformity with its width, and a fitting inserted between said plates and one of said rails.

5. A rail joint comprising filling plates for the gap which are partly housed in the gap and partly in a recess of one rail, means connected to the other rail Ifor varying the number of plates in the gap in conformity with its width, and a fitting connected to the other rail and arranged between the end of the other rail and the first plate insaid gap.

6. A rail joint comprising filling plates for the gap which are partly housed in the gap and partly in a recess of one rail, means connected to the other rail for varying the number of plates in the gap in conformity with its width, and a fitting detachably connected to the other rail and arranged between the end of the other rail and the first 4plate in,

said gap.

7. A rail joint comprising filling plates for the gap which are partly housed in the gap and partly in a recess of one rail, means connected to the other rail for varying the number of plates in the gap in conformity with its width, a fitting detachably connected to the other rail and arranged between the end of the other rail and the first plate in said gap, and a detachable extension at the outer end of said fitting connected thereto by a clutch, the lengths of said fitting, said extension and said clutch being so determined with respect to the minimum width of said gap that said extension Yand said fitting can be extracted from the gap.

8. A rail joint comprising filling plates for the gap, means for varying the number of plates in the gap in conformity with its width, and means for making up the web section of one of said rails into areas equal to the corresponding area of said plates.

9. A rail joint comprising filling plates for the gap, means for varying the number of plates in the gap in conformity with its width, and a fitting inserted between said plates and one of said rails, the area which said fitting presents to the plates being equal to the area of their faces.

10. A rail joint comprising filling plates for the gap which are partly housed in the gap and partly in a recess of one rail, means connected to the other rail for varying the number of plates in the gap in conformity with its width, and fish plates on opposite sides of the rail web and at the lower face of said recess for supporting the lower edges of said filling plates.

l1. A rail joint comprising filling plates for the gap which are partly housed in the gap and partly in a recess of one rail, a race block inserted in said recess, for supporting the lower edges of said filling plates, and means connected to the other rail for varying the number of plates in the gap in conformityr with its width. i 1'2.,A rail joint comprising filling plates for `the gap whicharepartly housed in the gap and partly in a recess of one rail, a race block inserted in said recess and recessedV for the reception of the webof the first-mentioned rail for supportingv the lower edges of said fillinglplates, and means connected to the other rail for varying the number of platesin the vgap in' conformitywith its width.

13. A rail joint comprising filling plates for the gapwbich are partly housed injthe gap and partly in a recess ofy one rail, a race block inserted in said recess for supporting the lower edges of said filling plates, 'projectionskat opposite sides of said vrace block for 'engaging' the web of the other rail, and means connected to the other rail for varying the number of plates in the gap in c conformity with its width.

lll. A rail jointV comprising filling plates for the gap which are partly housed in the gap and partly in a recess of one rail, a race block inserted in said recess for supporting the lower edges of said filling plates, guides at the sides of said race block which are so designed as to prevent upward movement of the members seated on said race block, and

detachable strips inserted between said meinn ybers and said guides to permit extraction of said members in upward direction, and means connected to the other rail for varyingthe number of plates in the gap in kconformity with its width.

l5. A rail joint comprising filling plates for the gap which are partly housed in the gap and partly in a recess of one rail, a platecontrol block mounted to slide in said recess and to engage the inner face of the innermost filling plate, links pivoted to opposite sides of the other rail, and means at the free ends of said links for connecting said links to said block while permitting relative vertical displacement of said links and said block.

16. A rail joint comprising filling plates for the gap which are partly housedin the gap and partly in a recess of one rail, a platecontrol block mounted to slide in said recess and to engage the inner face of the innermost filling plate, links pivoted to opposite sides of the other rail, and means at the free endsr of said links for eonnectingsaid links to said block while permitting relative vertical displacement of said links and said block, the length of said control block being so determined that it is able to support the undercut portion of the rail head in said recess.

17. A rail joint comprising filling plates for the gap which are partly housed in the gap and partly in a recess of one rail, a plate-control block recessed for the reception of the web of the first-mentioned rail mounted to slide in said recess and to engage the inner face of the innermost filling plate, links pivoted to opposite .sides of the other rail,

and means at the free ends of said links for connecting said links to said block While permitting relative Vertical displacement of said j links and said block.

18. A rail joint comprising filling plates for the gap, means for varying the number of plates in the gap in conformity with its Width, and means controlled by the Wheels of vehicles running on the rails for exerting additional pressure on said number-varying means.

19. A rail joint comprising filling plates for the gap, means for varying the number of plates in the gap in conformity With its Width, a system of links and levers pivotally mounted on said rail in the form of a parallelogram, the link at the upper end of said parallelogram being adapted to be depressed by the Wheels of vehicles running on the track.

20. A rail joint comprising filling plates e for the gap which are partly housed in the gap and partly in a recess of one rail, a plate control block mounted to slide in said recess and to engage the inner face of the innermost filling plate, a pin mounted to rotate in the f other rail, eccentric means on both ends of said pin, links connected to said eccentric means at one end, means at the other ends of said links for connecting said links to said control block While permitting relative vertical displacement of said links and said block. and an arm on said pin which is adapted to lbe depressed by the Wheels of the Vehicles running on the rails so as to rock said pin.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

KARL NAST. 

